AN EMOTIONAL gathering was held at Hubberston and Hakin Community Centre as family, friends and volunteers came together to remember the late Mike Stoddart last week.

Members of Mike’s family joined Community Centre trustees and volunteers to commemorate a memorial bench installed in the centre’s Memorial Garden.

Mike, affectionately known as “Old Grumpy”, died on January 4, 2026, aged 85.

Alongside his many years of service as the county councillor for Hakin, Mike was also a dedicated trustee of the Community Centre and worked tirelessly on behalf of local residents.

The inscription on the bench describes it as “a place to sit and remember” and recognises Mike’s contribution as a centre trustee.

The Community Centre said it had been an emotional but special evening and thanked everyone who attended to pay tribute.

Similar memorials are also being planned to honour the late Eric Harries and John Morgan, recognising their own service and contribution to the community.

POLICE have warned that Tenby’s Summer Spectacular has become “a disaster waiting to happen”, amid concerns about overcrowding, crowd surges and restricted access for emergency services.

A decision on the future of the event’s premises licence is expected within days after Dyfed-Powys Police asked Pembrokeshire County Council’s licensing sub-committee to revoke the existing licence, arguing that it is no longer fit for purpose.

The two harbour-based spectaculars planned for August have already been provisionally cancelled by organisers Tenby Round Table following difficulties agreeing crowd-control arrangements with the council.

The annual events, which feature food, drink, live music and a popular fireworks display, have been a highlight of Tenby’s summer calendar for many years.

However, police told the licensing hearing that the event had grown beyond what could safely be accommodated at its current location.

A police representative said the harbour area should have a maximum capacity of around 1,600 people, but estimated crowds of approximately 3,000 had attended previous events.

The committee heard concerns that overcrowding could lead to crowd surging, while the limited number of escape routes could create serious difficulties during an emergency.

Police stressed that they were not opposed to the event itself, but said it had “evolved from a family event to a large-scale drinking environment”.

Concerns were also raised by the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust over emergency access, while Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service highlighted wider public safety risks.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s lead licensing officer, Geraint Griffiths, described the current arrangements as “very dangerous” and warned that any significant movement or surge within the crowd could have devastating consequences.

The premises licence covers Tenby Harbour car park and extends to the top of Penniless Cove Hill. The site includes a stage, stalls, refreshment stands and a bar selling alcoholic and soft drinks in cans.

Alcohol is currently sold under a temporary event notice rather than as a licensed activity included within the premises licence.

The open-air event is not fenced or ticketed, with visitors invited to make a voluntary donation on entry. People are also able to access the area from the harbour beach, an issue described during the hearing as one of the main obstacles to safely controlling numbers.

Tenby Round Table disputed some of the figures presented by the emergency services, saying several incidents referred to had not been directly connected to the Summer Spectacular.

Members said they had spent much of the past year trying to resolve questions surrounding access and crowd control.

A Round Table representative told the committee: “This year’s event has been cancelled. It arose from the sheer volume of people visiting Tenby, creating a question we have tried to get answered for the best part of a year.

“Without a clear answer, we couldn’t finish our licensing plan and couldn’t responsibly hold our events.”

The organisers previously said negotiations with Pembrokeshire County Council’s public realm department had failed to produce a clear and workable agreement allowing temporary restrictions on pedestrian access to the harbour and beach.

Without those restrictions, they said it would not be possible to legally or safely control crowd numbers.

Committee member Cllr Mark Carter suggested the event may have become “too successful” and could have outgrown its current location.

He described unrestricted access from the nearby beach as “the elephant in the room” and said any future proposal would need to include a robust plan for controlling entry.

Tenby Round Table said moving the main event elsewhere while retaining the traditional harbour fireworks display would present significant logistical challenges.

Councillors were presented with four options, including revoking the licence or allowing it to continue with amended conditions.

Committee chairman Cllr Tim Evans said members would consider the evidence before issuing a written decision, which is expected within five working days.

PEMBROKESHIRE’S new Conservative county councillor, who won a seven-way battle for the Pembroke Dock Market ward seat, has said he is “fully focussed on representing everyone in Market Ward and being a strong voice for Pembroke Dock”.

The seat was made vacant following the death of veteran councillor Brian Hall.

Before he passed away in April, Councillor Brian Hall had held the Pembroke Dock Market ward seat since 1996.

Since that seat became vacant, seven hopefuls put their names forward to represent the Market ward, with an election being held on July 9, the results announced the following morning.

The election for the ward, which has an electorate of 1,442 voters, saw a 28 per cent turnout.

Winner was Welsh Conservatives candidate Jamie Street with 143 votes, approximately 36 per cent of all votes cast.

Second place, with 100 votes, went to Independent candidate Claire Francis-Boswell, who can be commiserated by recently becoming a town council member for the very same ward.

Other candidates, and their share of the votes, were: Chloe Louise Richards, Plaid Cymru, 79 votes; Ryan Morgan, Reform UK, 48; Paul Haywood Dowson, Independent, 11; Lee Herring, Welsh Liberal Democrats, nine; Hayley Wood, Independent, seven.

Following his win, Jamie said: “I would like to sincerely thank everyone who placed their trust in me by voting in this election.

“It is a tremendous honour and a privilege to have been elected as the county councillor for the Market Ward, I will work hard to repay that confidence.

“I would also like to thank my fellow candidates for running a positive and respectful campaign.

“Now the campaign is over, I am fully focussed on representing everyone in Market Ward and being a strong voice for Pembroke Dock.

“Throughout the campaign I promised to listen to residents, stand up for our community and work tirelessly to secure the investment, opportunities and improvements our area deserves.

“I am eager to get started on the many issues you told me on the doorstep and will do everything I can to achieve the very best outcomes for local people.”